1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to pick-up truck ramps, specifically a means to facilitate the transport of small vehicles into and out of pick-up truck beds.
2. Description of Prior Art
The use of tailgate ramps is known in the prior art. Some ramps fold up and can be carried away, like U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,574. These ramps, while being convenient, are notoriously unsafe, as they have poor anchoring and often come loosing during ascension, potentiating serious injury. Though the above patent and related patents detail mounting systems, these systems are inconvenient to use and install. Some ramps fold up into the tailgate, like U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,913,305 and 6,575,516. These ramps, while solving the previous safety concern, are of an intricate and delicate construction, a problem when used in repetition to support weighty vehicles. These types of ramps are also expensive to manufacture for the same reasons. Additionally, their placement on the top/inside of the tailgate decreases usable space inside the truck bed. These ramps also must be custom made for each model truck's tailgate. Some ramps slide into the truck bed unchanged like U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,390,761 and 6,042,923. The former is a very complicated construction, and certainly not practical for common usage.
The ramp disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,923 has several significant disadvantages. First its size makes it inconvenient. It's too large to take in and out of a truck often, meaning it must be permanently installed in the bed. It would therefore waste space in the bed when not in use. Second, its rollers could and will likely become jammed with mud, and because of its closed housing, it would be difficult to clean. Third, it can not safely fit trucks with six-foot bed because it does not telescope. A ramp installed permanently in a truck's bed must traverse the lowered tailgate before it can angle and form an ascendable ramp. Because this ramp does not telescope, a portion of its total enclosed length must be sacrificed for that traversing purpose. In other words, if its housing is six feet, and it can't be more than that for a six foot bed, the total of the ramp can only be six feet. After a portion of its six foot entirety traverses a truck's eighteen inch tailgate, the remaining length of ramp for angling will only be four feet six inches. Such a short length for the angled portion makes for a steep and therefore dangerous ramp. While a ramp of this construction will safely fit eight foot and longer truck beds, it must be an eight foot unit with equivalent housing, again because it cannot telescope. Fourth, because of the sheer bulk of this ramps design, an eight foot version and even a six foot version would be a substantial construction effort and create logistical problems for shipping. In addition its overall cost would therefore be prohibitive.
3. Objects and Advantages
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a folding adjustable size ramp assembly allowing for easy loading and unloading of small vehicles from varying sized pickup trucks bed.
Another object of the present invention provides a three-stage telescoping ramp assembly whose angleable section is an equivalent length to that of its housing, and that which functions via a sliding section to create its telescoping character.
Another object of the present invention provides a twin ramp assembly which folds open during use and folds back into itself for convenient space saving storage.
Another object of the present invention provides for a ramp that will fit almost any dimensioned truck bed.
Another object of the present invention provides for a ramp assembly which creates a safer angle of ascent.
A further object of the present invention provides for a ramp assembly which is lightweight, wieldy, easily cleaned, and readily shipped by conventional ground carriers
It is another object of the present invention to provide a ramp assembly which may be efficiently manufactured and marketed.
Still another object of the present invention provides for a ramp assembly which can become a permanent yet unobtrusive attachment to a truck, but also can be removed quickly by a single person if necessary.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a ramp which is of a durable and reliable construction.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a ramp assembly which includes a housing with open rear wall to receive a ladder ramp and ladder rack top to facilitate easy cleaning and an overall lightweight construction, dimensioned for positioning within the bed of a pickup truck.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.